1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to surgical devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to surgical access systems and methods of using the same during minimally invasive surgical procedures.
2. Background of the Related Art
Minimally invasive surgical procedures, which include both endoscopic and laparoscopic procedures, permit surgery to be performed on target tissue, such as organs, vessels, or the like, at a surgical worksite removed from an opening in the patient's tissue. Such procedures are typically performed through a surgical access system including, among other things, a cannula assembly and an obturator assembly positionable therein.
Generally, in laparoscopic procedures, the surgical worksite is first insufflated to provide increased access to the target tissues. Subsequently, the obturator assembly, which typically includes a distal end adapted to penetrate the patient's tissue, is inserted into the cannula assembly and is used to create a temporary tissue tract. The cannula assembly is subsequently advanced through the tissue tract, thereafter remaining in place, and the obturator assembly is removed such that additional instrumentation can be inserted through the cannula assembly to carry out the remainder of the procedure.
Known surgical access systems are usually pushed through the tissue tract by applying an axial, distally directed force to the surgical access system. Advancing the surgical access system in this manner, however, may unnecessarily stress, stretch, or deform the patient's tissue. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a surgical access system that can be advanced through a patient's tissue in a less traumatic manner.